Nine candidates have qualified for the special election of a DeKalb County Sheriff on March 24, the date of Georgia's presidential primary. All of the candidates claim a law-enforcement background.
The election will determine who serves the last nine months of the unexpired term of former Sheriff Jeffrey Mann, whose elected term is scheduled to end in December 2020.
Mann won election as sheriff in a July 2014 runoff where he defeated former DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones with more than 76 percent of the vote. Deputy Chief Melody Maddox, who is among those running for the position, became sheriff after Mann announced his retirement in November.
If a runoff is needed, the DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections says it would take place on April 21. The last day to register to vote in the special election is February 24.
Here is the list of candidates, along with party affiliations and occupations, as stated on their qualifying forms. Phone numbers and web sites are included if this information was posted by the county election office. Georgia law allows candidates to choose whether their addresses, phone numbers and other personal information are disclosed to the public.
DeKalb County Sheriff candidates, in alphabetical order:
Geraldine Champion, Lithonia (non-partisan)
retired homicide detective
678-665-7519
Harold Dennis, Stone Mountain (non-partisan)
former DeKalb reserve lieutenant
404-590-6269
www.harolddennisforsheriff.com
Adam Gardner, Stone Mountain (D)
law enforcement
adamgardner2020.com
Ted Golden, Decatur (D)
retired DEA special agent
770-559-0339
www.tedgoldenforsheriff.com
Antonio "Block" Johnson (D)
retired marshall
404-720-5015
johnson4dekalbsheriff.com
Kyle Keith Jones, Stone Mountain (D)
retired law enforcement/businessman
404-963-2361
votekylejones.com
Melody Maddox (non-partisan, incumbent)
Sheriff
sheriffmelodymaddox.com
Carl Mobley (D)
retired DeKalb officer
770-709-1459
carlmobley4sheriff.com
Ruth "The Truth" Stringer, Tucker (D)
retired law enforcement
404-883-0853
www.stringerforsheriff.com
